Sunday, February 28, 2010

Ah, snow and sleds in Central Park. But the Times takes a moment to consider the death of Elmaz Qyra, a 46-year-old busboy who was conked and killed by a tree branch in the Park this week. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said "There is no reason to believe that anything else might happen like that."

The owners of the Queens golfers will be able to say "fore" for many more years.

The city is set to ink a new 15-year lease with the owners of a popular pitch-and-putt course in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, officials said.

The owners of the Flushing Meadows Golf Center will either pay a flat six-figure licensing fee or a percentage of their profits to the Parks Department for each year of the agreement.

The terms of the agreement are to be discussed at a Franchise and Concession Review Committee hearing March 8 in Manhattan, said Jason Post, a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg.

"We serve the city and the Parks Department very, very well with everything that we do," said Norman Tafet, whose company, Flushing Golf Corp., runs the pitch-and-putt course.

Tafet and his son, Michael, operate five of the city's 13 public golf courses, including the Douglaston Golf Course and the Van Cortlandt Golf Course in the Bronx. Their 12-year lease with the city for the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park facility expires on May 1.

If the new agreement is approved, Tafet would pay either a minimum of $180,000 in licensing fees to the city in its first year, or 25% of the course's greens fees and 9% of its food and merchandise grosses, whichever is greater, Parks officials said. will either pay a flat six-figure licensing fee or a percentage of their profits to the Parks Department for each year of the agreement.

The terms of the agreement are to be discussed at a Franchise and Concession Review Committee hearing March 8 inManhattan, said Jason Post, a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg.

"We serve the city and the Parks Department very, very well with everything that we do," said Norman Tafet, whose company, Flushing Golf Corp., runs the pitch-and-putt course.

Tafet and his son, Michael, operate five of the city's 13 public golf courses, including theDouglaston Golf Course and the Van Cortlandt Golf Course in the Bronx. Their 12-year lease with the city for the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park facility expires on May 1.

If the new agreement is approved, Tafet would pay either a minimum of $180,000 in licensing fees to the city in its first year, or 25% of the course's greens fees and 9% of its food and merchandise grosses, whichever is greater, Parks officials said.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

In a highly unusual move the Parks Department issued a statement this evening advising the public to avoid parks on Thursday night after a man was killed in Central Park by a large tree branch. No word yet on whether the branch was dead, dying or diseased and if its condition was a factor in the fatality.

Press Releases

Earlier today a man died after being hit by a falling tree branch in Central Park. There are several confirmed reports of other trees that have fallen in Central Park and around the city in parks and on streets. The breaking of the branch and the other fallen trees were likely caused by the accumulation of wet, unusually heavy snow. For this reason, we are advising people to avoid parks if possible this evening and to use caution near street trees. People can report fallen trees by calling 311.

Tina Fineberg for The New York Times The scene in Central Park where a man was killed on Thursday afternoon

A 46-year-old man was killed in Central Park when a snow-sodden tree limb fell on him just before 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the authorities said,according to the New York Times.

The man, Elmaz Qyra of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, was declared dead at the location, a tree-canopied stretch along Literary Walk on the east side of the park near 69th Street, after crews from the Fire Department arrived at the spot.

A witness who walked by as Mr. Qyra lay bleeding said that the branch, which came to rest beside his head, looked like it must have weighed 100 pounds. The American elm tree it fell from, the witness said, was massive, perhaps 80 feet high, and was bowed beneath the weight of several inches of wet snow.

The accident was reminiscent of one last summer in which a man, Sasha J. Blair-Goldensohn, 33, was hit by a rotten tree branch that fell because of its weight and hit him in the head. Mr. Blair-Goldensohn, an engineer for Google, sustained brain and spinal injuries but survived.

The police closed Fifth Avenue from 69th to 71 Streets after at least two other limbs or trees fell there, one hitting a car and another a bus, said Paul J. Browne, the chief police spokesman. No one was injured in those falls.

The Brooklyn Paper's Meadows of Shame was created after the deplorable conditions found this past Summer in Prospect Park.

BROOKLYN

There’s nothing more frustrating than being in a Roger Federer-esque zone, only to have your baseline drive fail because of a bad bounce on a crack-filled court.

Ten tennis players who use the courts in Fort Greene Park certainly feel that way — and they held their first fundraiser last night to raise money to fix the problem, according to the Brooklyn Paper.

“There are tons of cracks in the court surfaces,” said Rich Rodriguez, one of the members of the just-founded Fort Greene Tennis Association, which raised money at the General Greene on Thursday night. “Some of them are almost an inch wide! Someone could easily trip and fall while playing.”

The alliance of pseudo-Samprases is shooting for $250,000 for a complete overhaul of the courts. Once that happens, the group hopes to coordinate tennis programs.

In addition to the surface repairs, the players want to remedy a drainage system that leaves puddles of water and piles of leaves on the courts.

A Yonkers construction company performing renovation work at Clove Lakes Park on Staten Island and Owen Dolan Park in the Bronx says they are being forced into bankruptcy because the Parks Department owes them tens of thousands of dollars according to WABC News.This is a follow up to theJune 4, 2009 nightmare storyof delays and obfuscation from the Parks Department.

"The Parks Department vigorously disagrees with the position Tuckahoe Construction. Work may begin at both sites. All permits are in place" the DPR Press office said in June 4, 2009. However after Channel 7's follow up eight months later up the agency changed their spin.

The Parks Department blames the latest payment problem on an upgraded software system that authorizes payments to vendors.

"It's new," DPR's head spokesperson Vicki Karp said in a statement. "We've had some problems paying vendors. We're working to resolve the issue. The vendor who has been delayed in receiving his January payment will be paid with interest,"

There is no word on when that payment will come or how many small business owners are in the same situation, ABC News commented.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A Yonkers construction company owner says he's being forced into bankruptcy because New York City owes him tens of thousands of dollars.

Eyewitness News first reported about the firm's bureaucratic nightmare with New York City last spring. The problem was supposedly fixed, but the red tape is apparently back and worse than ever.

A number of construction firms who have contracts with the city say they never get paid on time and that it's one excuse after another. Most companies are afraid to speak out because they fear they'll get shut out of future contracts, but one small business owner says he has nothing more to lose.

Nikas is so strapped for cash he's literally selling off the tools of his trade, basics that built his small family business.

"I need to pay my bills and the City of New York is responsible," Nikas said. "I'm going to lose my business. I always, I always pay my bills on time. Now, I cannot."

Nikas' financial headache with New York City's Parks Department was highlighted by Eyewitness News last June (CLICK HERE to read the previous story). His firm, Tuckahoe Construction, had won a lucrative contract to refurbish two parks. One was Clove Lakes on Staten Island. The other was Owen Dolan in the Bronx. Nikas claims work came to a screeching halt because the Parks Department didn't have approved plans or permits. The day after the Eyewitness News story aired, Nikas says he got the go ahead from the Parks Department to start work again. It was a brief victory.

After various delays – including a push by a group of tourists to save a 1923 section of the old Yankee stadium – the City's Design Commission finally gave Preliminary Approval of Heritage Field on Monday afternoon.

It still ain't over till its over.

That's the vow a group of Yankee fans made Tuesday after losing the latest - and possibly final - battle with the city to save Gate 2 at the old Yankee Stadium according to the Daily News.

The city Public Design Commission on Monday granted preliminary approval to the Parks Department's plans to commemorate the old Yankee Stadium - without retaining Gate 2.

Now the Gate 2 fans say they will pursue legal action to save it from the wrecking ball.

"I'm definitely going ahead with an injunction," said group member Tim Reid, 55, of Boca Raton, Fla.

The entire stadium is set to be demolished by June to make way for a Heritage Field Park.

The Parks Department plans to commemorate the House that Ruth Built by putting in engraved plaques and preserving elements of the stadium frieze and the famous bat statue outside.

Monday, February 22, 2010

"...police did not arrive until after three telephone calls were made to 911, hours after the attack. When officers did arrive, she said she was told the incident would be classified as Forcible Touching, a misdemeanor.

34th Police Precinct Captain Jose Navarro said that the incident was originally classified as Forcible Touching, but that the Special Victims Unit reclassified it as Attempted Rape on Feb. 18., He is investigating why it took so long for police to respond to Nathan’s calls."

The New York Police Department Special Victims Unit has classified the attack on a woman in Inwood Hill Park on Feb. 17 as an attempted rape and is planning on dramatically stepping up its presence in the park, according to Manhattan Times.

W. 204th Street resident Debbie Nathan went into Inwood Hill Park for a walk just before 6 p.m. on Feb. 17. She was walking around the “ring” path frequented by joggers when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and dragged into the woods. Her attacker, much larger and stronger than the 5-foot tall Nathan, had complete control over her.

Inwood Hill Park - February 22, 2010. The NYPD have stepped up their presence in the area after a series of crimes in two area parks.

“He began dragging me into the woods and said he wanted to have sex with me. … He would not let me go,” she wrote in an account of the attack posted on the Inwood Safety Patrol forum on Feb. 18.

The teen began rubbing up against Nathan’s clothes from behind.

“He began masturbating against me while pushing me farther into the woods. This went on for over a minute, maybe two minutes,” she wrote.

Nathan wrote that she believed her attacker finished masturbating before he released her and fled into the woods.

After the attack Nathan said police did not arrive until after three telephone calls were made to 911, hours after the attack. When officers did arrive, she said she was told the incident would be classified as Forcible Touching, a misdemeanor.

Nathan had sharp words for the officers in her post on the online forum, which was met with notes of support and consternation from Inwood’s tight-knit online community.

“I was not just casually grabbed in a crowd. This is not the part of the crime that is giving me flashbacks. The part that made me feel I was going to be raped or die was being forced into the woods,” she wrote.

Members of the forum responded by condemning the 34th Police Precinct and calling elected officials.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

The popular outdoor pool at Riverbank State Park in Upper Manhattan and the closing of Bayswater Point, a 12 acre park located on the eastern shore of Jamaica Bay in Queens are among the area park facilities which would be affected under under Governor David Paterson's proposed Budget.

State parks and historic sites could close as the state deals with an $8.2 billion budget gap, According to NY1 News.

On Friday, parks officials recommended shuttering 41 parks and 14 historic sites, as well as reducing service at 23 other parks. The changes would affect two city parks.

Bayswater Point State Park in Jamaica Bay, Queens would be closed under the proposal.

Riverbank State Park on Manhattan's West Side would remain open, but would no longer offer seniors classes and community events. It would also shut down the outdoor swimming pool and reduce operating hours.

Some popular spots outside of the city could also see some changes.

Jones Beach State Park on Long Island would close one its pools and cancel its Fourth of July fireworks display, while the pools at Montauk Downs State Park and Tallman Mountain State Park would also shut down.

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation says it is also proposing $4 million in fee increases.

ALBANY -- Long Island parks would be among the hardest hit by Gov. Paterson's latest effort to keep the state out the red -- with nearly a dozen in Suffolk and Nassau counties targeted yesterday for closure or service cuts.

The governor's hack-and-slash parks plan, unbelievably, was unveiled the day before his scheduled campaign kickoff in Hempstead, LI.

It also calls for boarding up Bayswater Point State Park in Queens and reducing hours at Riverbank State Park on the Hudson in upper Manhattan.

In all, Paterson has called for closing 55 parks and historic sites and shuttering facilities and canceling programs at another 24.

Pools would be closed at Jones Beach, Heckscher, Montauk Downs and Riverbank Park, wedged between the Hudson and the Henry Hudson Parkway.